Waning last quarter in Sagittarius

"I'm one with the Goddess
and open to Her Wisdom."

24th Day of the 2nd Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Medusa
Lunar Tree Cycle ~ Luis/Rowan
18th Day of the Celtic Tree Cycle ~ Luis/Rowan
Moon Phase: Waning Last Quarter
Moon rises: 2:49AM EST
Moon sets: 11:59AM EST
Moon in the Mutable Fire Sign
of Sagittarius
Ceridwen's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The perseverance and
power of the heart's desire.
Sun in Aquarius
Sunrise: 7:23AM EST
Sunset: 5:44PM EST
Solar Question for the Day: "Where is love
manifest in your life?"
Imbolc (Gwyl Mair) Quarter
of the Year
February 7th, 2010

     There are Major magickal energies today for Clearing Blocks to Self-Improvement and minor magickal energies for banishing sickness/disease and addiction(s).  Well, let's see, today is Sun Day,
a Day of Intent, Creation and Renewal and the Moon is in a Fire Sign, so right there you have a couple of correspondences to help out in spell/rites relating to this work.  Also the Moon is waning, so this is a great time for banishing unwanted things in your life.

A Rite of Banishment - The Pot of Flame

    To be rid of something that troubles you: find a small cast-iron or copper pot.  Its opening shouldn't be more than three inches in diameter.  This pot must be meatal and stand on legs. You'll also need rum, Everclear, or some other ignitable spirit. If nothing else is available, rubbing alcohol will do.
    At night, place the pot on a heat-proof surface. Pour 1/8 cup of alcohol into the pot. Hold your projective hand over its opening. Visualize and push your problem(s) into the pot. Push out its causes and the energy that you've been feeding it.     Standing far clear of the pot, strike a match. (Lighters are too dangerous for this ritual). Toss the flaming match into the pot. The liquid should immediately ignite. If not, try another match.
    Once the pot's contents have been lit, turn off the lights. Watch the flames, saying these words or similar words:

  "Blazing force of cleansing fire,

Dancing flames of light;

Harken, for my need is dire;

Pot of flame, O fiery flower,

Glowing in my sight;

Cleanse me with your magick power:

Free me with your might."

      Continue to repeat these words. Visualize yourself as completely freed of the problem until the fire dwindles and goes out. Put away the pot (you need to use a pot holder to avoid burning your fingers) and use it for no other purpose but for spells of this type.

[From: Cunningham's "Earth, Air, Fire and Water"]

   --- Many of us may not have a 'pot' as described in this rite, but I've found doing this rite outside, especially at night, works even better.  Make a depression in the ground, and clear away any dry brush or grass from the edge of it... Then put in the hole the contents you would have pot in the as described above.  Then you can douse them with the spirit alcohol and throw the flaming match in it.  Also the

cleanup can fairly easy - cover the hole over with earth.  Actually this idea works quite well in the winter even with snow on the ground. ---   Always be willing to use substitutes when

doing a rite or spell but make the correespondences still mesh together.

Exercises from "The Inner Temple of Witchcraft" by Christopher Penczak

   Exercise 7 - Total Relaxation

1. Get into your meditation position.

2. Relax your body. Be aware of your head, from your crown to the back of your neck. Take a deep breath, exhale, and relax all the muscles in your head and neck. Relax your jaw. Relax your face muscles. Relax your eyes and forehead. Feel all tension drain away.

3. Take a deep breath, exhale, and relax your shoulders and arms, all the way down the arms, past the elbows, to the wrists, hands and fingertips. Waves of relaxation melt away all tension and stress.

4. Breathe deeply and as you exhale, release all tension in your chest and lungs, your upper back, down your spine to the lower back, abdomen, waist, and hips. Feel them completely relax as all tension drains out of you.

5. Take a deep breath, exhale, and release all tensions from your legs, starting in your thighs and moving down to your knees. Relax your shins and calf muscles, down to the ankles, feet and toes. All the tension drains out of you.

6. Breathe deeply and relax. Enjoy the sensation. Scan your body as you breathe. Do you feel any remaining pockets of tension of pain? If so, imagine as you breathe in that your breath magickally searches the tension anywhere in your body and takes the tension away as you exhale.

7. Relax your mind. Any thoughts, worries, or concerns from the day melt away and leave your with breath as you exhale. Don't let them concern you any longer. Relax your mental body completely.

8. Relax your heart. Release any unwanted feelings, emotions and memories as you exhale. Open your heart to the love of the Goddess and God.

9. Relax your soul. As you breathe, feel the pulse and rhythms of life that move through you and know it moves through all things. Follow your inner light for guidance and protection.

  Now add a visual focus to your meditative practice. Like focusing on the breath, turn your attention to an object as a focus for entering an altered state. The very process helps relax the body and deepen the breath. It builds your powers of concentration and clears out a lot of extraneous background noise in your mind. Penczak says that one of the first meditation that he learned was to focus on the flame of a white candle on the altar. It is a simple exercise, but something that he goes back to when he needs to get in touch with his roots.  You will probably find yourself coming back to this exercise even after you advance to other skills.